Vacuum cleaner



June 9, 1925.

' S. C.v LINES VACUUM CLEANER Original Filed @pril 1'7, 1922 A] guna/mfom adm nu* 0/ lllli@ @S J Mw Patented .lune 9, 1925..

, YuNiTEn STATES PATENT oFFicE.

. STERLING C. LINES, QI."V LOSl ANGELES, CALIFORNIA; ASSIGNOR T THE F. BISSELL COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO', A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VACUUM CLEANER V` 'il jx'iiginal application led April 17, 1922, Serial No. 553,442. \Divided and this application filed October 29,

. j 1923. selfiai No. 671,325'.

To all whom, t may concern,-

" Be it known that I, STERLING C. LINES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Ange- 6 les and Sta-te of California, have invented a new and useful Vacuum Cleaner, which ini vention is fully set forth in the following speci ticafti on. Y

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and. has for its object the provision, in coinbination with a portable vacuum cleaner, of asuction nozzle which is carried by the ma.-

cliine frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto to permit a varying space between its mouth and a subjacent surta/ce, without requiring a tilting of the machine for such purpose, as isl customarily done, and. the provision of simple means for adjustably clampng't-he nozzle of the machine frame.

This invention permits an adjustment of the nozzle with respect to the surface over which it is operated without disturbing the -parallel/relation of the nozzle mouth or inlet end with respect to' such surface or the horizontal axis of the frame with respect to such surface.

The invention is fully described in the .following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof isillustrated in the accompanying drawings,y in which- .A Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cleaner embodying the'invention, with the dust collecting bag removed and with the handle A broken away. iFig. 2 is a. side elevation v thereof. Fig. 3 is a-fragmentary front view of the adjustable/nozzle clam ing means, fand Fig.`4 is a section thereo on the line 4-4 in.' Fig. .3. This application-is filedl as a division of applicants co-pending, application Serial No. 553,442 filed April 17, 1922.

v Referring tothe drawings, 1 designates the cleaner frame or housing, Iin the present instance, offs. cylindrical form with its axis horizontally and longitudinally disposed and" having at its front end a fan casing 2,

as is customary in a number of cleaners of this class. The frame or housing is supported preferably beneath or atthe sides of the f an casing 2. a pair of small wheels orv rollers 3 mounted on suitable spindles at each side of the'casing axis and the frame is f supported at its rear by a single caster wheel 4 which is mounted for horizontal swinging movements. 5 designates handle of the cleaner which is provided with va fork 6 at its lower end which stradtl ie A its neck terminating at its'inner end or at the end thereof opposed to the nozzle mouth with a surrounding laterally projecting flange 9 of flat form and of a size to adapt it to seat fiat against the front side of the fan casing 2 in surrounding relation to the inlet opening thereof. The fan casing is provided on its front side at opposite sides of its openingwith vertically disposed guide strips 10 between which the side edges of the nozzle flange 9 are adapted to tit, being guided thereby for vertical adjustment so that the nozzle may be raised or lowered with respect to the machine fra-me and also the surface over which the machine is opi erated, withoutV disturbing the parallel relation of the inlet end ofthe mouth piece to such surface.

The nozzle 8 is clamped in adjusted relation'to the fan casing by clamping lingers 11 which, in the present instance, are of a spring nature, and project from the outer edges of the guide strips 10 across the outer sides of s uch strips with their free ends in overhangmg or clamping relation to the iiange 9.' The guide strips 10 and fingers 11 are connected by screws or .bolts 12,4 which are provided in the present instance, with wing` nuts 13 operable to eifect a clamping of the fingers against the flange 9 to hold the saine firmly to the'fan casing.. v

i This manner of releasably and adjustably carrying the nozzle by the fan casing is important as it not only enables the nozzle to be easily and quickly removed fromthe machine or engaged therewith, as the case requires, but also enables it to be easily and' quickly raised or lowered with respect to the machine frame as it may -be desired to increase orfdiminish the space between rthe inlet end or mouth of thenozzleand the surface over which it'is o rating, without .any angular adjustment o the nozzle or of ics the longitudinal axis of the frame 1 with respect to such surface as would be the ease where such adjustment is obtained by a tilting of the machine frame. In other Words, thel machine frame at all times is permitted to remain with its axis parallel to the surface over which operating, and the adjustment of the nozzle i's always at right angles to such surface and axis of the machine so that an adjustmentot the nozzle does not dispose one edge of its mouth a greater disiance from the floor or other subjacent snrfaee than the other edge.

I wish it understood that the invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ol" numerculs modilications and changes without departing from the spirit ofthe claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a vacuum cleaner. a frame having a fan lasing at one end with the outer side of the casing provided with an-` inlet opening` a nozzle having a laterally projecting neck fiange for seating against the easing in surrounding relation to its opening and for adjustment transversely of the opening, and means engaging the l11e-ck Illange for releasably securing the nozzle in adjusted 're` lation to the casing.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a frame having justifient of the nozzle relative to the casing i opening, and means operable to coact with the nozzle projections to secure the nozzle in adjusted position.

f 3. In a vacuum cleaner, a motor housing having a fan easing at one end with the outer side of'tllefan casing substantially vflat and provided with an inlet opening, vertical guide members secured to the outer side of the casing at opposite sides ol` its opening a nozzle having a flange at 'its inner end for seating iat'against the casing side in surrounding relation to its openingI and between the guide members in vertically sliding engagement therewith, spring clamping lingers lcarried by the casing, and means operable to cause thelingers to have clamping engagement with the nozzle flange to hold. the nozzle in adjusted relation to the casing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this speeication.

STERLING C. LINES. 

